Of Riddles and Reasons
by Olivia Dunham
Summary: Alice returns to Underland to find the White Queen dead and half of the land covered in snow and ice. It's the Red Queen's doing, who has brought herself from exile and is determined to rule Underland one way or the other. Alice/Tarrant


Alice Kingsleigh liked to believe six impossible things before breakfast.

One, rabbits could talk.

Two, jabberwockys existed.

Three, she was the savior of a made-up land.

Four, cats could talk (and disappear).

Five, there was such a thing as evil queens with large heads.

And six, looking glasses were magical.

Stories always told of looking glasses - heroes and heroines sometimes traveled into a strange land with them, merely by stepping through. In others, looking glasses served as a ways to communicate with other people who could be millions of miles away. There was an endless amount of ideas that sprang to mind when she thought of a looking glass.

And now, as she stood in front of the one in her bedroom, Alice Kingsleigh wondered if hers had any sort of magical properties.

So far, she had found none.

Her own reflection stared back at her, unmoving unless she moved, the way it had been for the past ten minutes. She wasn't sure what to think of herself, now at the age of twenty-three, standing there in the gown of maroon, much more elegant than most of her others. She didn't consider herself very pretty, but at least in this gown she could fake her self-confidence. It was such a lovely shade of maroon. Had it been a bit rougher, and a few shades darker, it would have reminded her of a hat. A hat that sat upon a Hatter's head.

But the dress was lighter. So it didn't remind her, and she was left staring at her reflection rather unhappily.

How she resented garden parties - she was only putting up with this one because it was her sister's party, and it was for Alice, since it was her birthday. Then it was off to North America on another one of her adventures. Had she not forced herself to put up with this particular party, she would have already been on the ship, the England coast far behind her. She loved her adventures - a man she knew, Lewis Carroll he called himself, even if it wasn't his real name, had suggested she write her adventures down, as stories, so they could be published. She had declined - she just simply didn't have the time.

And she was selfish. She wanted her stories for herself.

England summers were quite warm, so as her own tradition she had left the stockings, corset, and other annoying things at home. She rode alone in the carriage toward her sister's home down the road, thinking of what she needed to buy in London before leaving tomorrow. Her mind always had a tendency to wander anymore. Usually it wandered to stories of a beautiful land, a pretty queen, a brave champion, and a silly hatter.

A raven cried somewhere in the trees and Alice peered out the window just in time to see it fly off.

_Why is a raven like a writing desk?_

She'd never figured out that one.

"Happy birthday Alice!" Margaret greeted as she stepped up to the door. Thunder was rumbling somewhere overhead now. "I hope you don't mind - we're moving the party inside, just in case it rains." She explained as she placed her arm through Alice's, walking her along the foyer now, toward the sounds of loud chatter. Alice had always admired Margaret's home - it was very pretty - but she still preferred the house her mother had left her when she had died a few months ago. There were too many memories there not to love it.

"Where's Henry?" Alice asked and Margaret nodded toward the stairs.

"Upstairs. He's getting his present ready for you." She gave a faint smile at the mention of her three year old son. He was the only person at these parties Alice could put up with. She returned the small smile - it quickly faded when she was tugged into the parlor and adjoining dining room where many guests had been placed, slightly crammed.

It was no surprise that it started pouring rain halfway through dinner - most of the guests left after that. Not that Alice minded. She had thanked them for their various gifts and for coming like a polite person, when she was secretly cheering on the inside. It meant she could go home soon.

"Alice," Margaret began as they began to pick up the parlor - normally maids would, but Alice was helping since most of them were working on other areas. "I think you should stay the night. It looks terrible out there." She was by the window, staring out into the storm that had seemed to pick up.

"I can make it home." Alice insisted.

Lightning seemed to strike right outside the window and Margaret recoiled with a wince, letting the curtain fall shut. Alice was standing by a vase of white roses - they should of been red. Perhaps she could paint them.

"I'd rather you stay."

Another loud crash of thunder and Alice sighed unhappily. "I suppose I can stay one night."

Margaret gave a half smile. "Good. I'll have a room made up for you."

"Thank you." Alice perched on the edge of the sofa, the newspaper on the table next to it catching her attention. A little girl's face was plastered across the front page under a caption that told Alice she was the ninth little girl to go missing in the past few weeks. She frowned - how oddly peculiar.

"Dreadful, that is." Margaret saw the paper in Alice's hand. "They haven't found any of the missing girls. Kidnapped out of their beds in the middle of the night, never to be seen again - it's all very story-like almost." She shook her head. "Poor things."

"Yes, poor things." She replied in a careful tone.

Something told her it wasn't very odd or story-like at all.

"I think I'm going to retire early." Alice said suddenly, rising. "I've had a very long day."

"I'd imagine. Happy birthday, Alice, and goodnight."

"Goodnight."

She left Margaret in the parlor, passing her husband on the way up the stairs, who had just finished putting Henry to bed. She gave a brief smile before heading to the room that she always stayed in on the rare occasions she stayed with her sister, whether it was prepared or not.

She shut the door behind her, moving to close the curtains as lightning flashed once more outside. She liked storms, especially the rain - she could have made it home perfectly had Margaret let her go, but Alice just wasn't in the mood to put up an argument. She felt odd, and didn't understand why. Perhaps it was because she was another year older, but perhaps it was because she knew something was going to happen. Tonight.

She sat on the edge of the bed, sitting in the darkness, almost as if she were waiting on something. Every time lightning flashed outside, it lit up her entire room - she was still alone. She let out a heavy sigh - _silly Alice, believing things were going to happen._

Still, she felt like something was . . . off.

She shook her head, blonde curls falling down into her face as she got back to her feet and moved toward the wardrobe - she wasn't going to sleep in the gown she wore, as much as she would have liked to. She hesitated in opening the door, however, something telling her whatever she was waiting for sat inside.

With a deep breath she slowly opened the door and -

- nothing happened.

She almost rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. There was nothing there of course. Why would there be? While the idea of someone or something hiding in the wardrobe was quite amusing, she knew they would have to be silly to do it.

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye and she turned - and nearly screamed when she saw a figure. It took her a moment to realize it was her own reflection in the mirror that hung on the inside of the door of the wardrobe. She really needed to get a grip.

Thunder rumbled loudly, and the windows suddenly slammed open. She jumped back, the nightgown she had been reaching for dropping when she realized she was no longer alone in the room.

Three black figures stood at her window - she could barely make out their shapes. They appeared to be metallic and carried long spears of sorts, ones that looked very pointy and were currently pointed at her.

Card soldiers.

She realized three things in that moment.

One, Margaret and the others would come running if she yelled.

Two, Margaret and the others would be in very big danger if they came running.

Three, the card soldiers were there for her. Alice Kingsleigh. She had a feeling it wasn't just a social call either - they had probably been sent by someone.

They stepped toward her, and Alice shot out of her trance-like state, thinking fast. She leapt up onto the bed and ran across it, into the adjoining washroom. She slammed the door shut and locked it, heading for the window.

There were card soldiers after her. That was perfectly normal.

Peering over the edge, she realized it was going to be difficult attempting to get down. She frowned - she needed to draw the soldiers away from her sister's family. They were hammering on the door now, and by the sounds of it the door would give any minute.

With no other choice, she grabbed the vines that grew up the trellis on the side of the house, swinging out onto it just as the door slammed open. No doubt Margaret had heard it - maybe when she found Alice gone, she'd think she'd been kidnapped in the middle of the night just like the other girls.

She climbed down - it was a good thing she wasn't worried about acting lady-like, or worried about getting her dress dirty. It was ripped in a few places from where the vines had caught on it. She dropped down to the ground and looked up - the soldiers were climbing down now as well. She turned, and began to run. It was raining heavily, and she was drenched within seconds.

If she could make it to her own house, she could get to the swords her father had kept. She needed a weapon, and that was her best option at the time being, so she ran. Her legs ached, her lungs burned, and her heart was pounding in her ears. This was ridiculous!

There was no reason for soldiers to be in the Aboveground. They belonged in Underland.

She ran across the meadow, into the forest, where her escape was much more difficult as she climbed over fallen logs and ducked under tree limbs. Her dress suddenly weighed much more now that it was soaking wet, making it harder to run as well. She slipped and fell several times, but managed to climb right back up and start running again before the soldiers could catch up to her.

_Come on Alice. You can do this. You killed a jabberwocky for pity's sake!_

She didn't dare look behind her as she broke free of the forest and her home lay up ahead, candles flickering in some of the windows. If anything, she ran faster, through the backdoor. Now that she could finally see straight, she darted up the staircase, into her room - the swords hung above her bed. Ignoring her muddy shoes, she leapt up onto her bed and jerked one down, whirling just as the soldiers came charging into her room. At least here there were a few candles she could see to fight by.

No one would hear, either - she had one maid who left after a certain time. She merely took care of the house while Alice was on her adventures, and while Alice was home, made sure everything was perfect for her.

They came toward her and she jumped down on the opposite side of the bed, backing up, toward her mirror, sword in front of her.

A hand suddenly grabbed the back of her dress and she twisted, looking on in horror when she realized the hand was reaching out from the mirror itself.

_And six, looking glasses were magical._

The sword dropped from her hand as she was jerked back, through the mirror.

**0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0**

_Alice awoke to the smell of something sweet burning under her nose. She inhaled deeply and coughed, the sweet smell nearly making her sick. She jerked up, eyes snapping open, nostrils flaring. _

_It was clear she was no longer in the Aboveground._

"_Welcome back, Alice."_

_She looked over - it wasn't any sort of familiar face that greeted her, but that of a young woman. She didn't look Alice directly in the eyes for some strange and unknown reason, but with the smoking flower she held in her hand, Alice understood it had been her who had awakened her._

"_Are you the one who pulled me through the mirror?"_

"_No, my husband did. He's a looking glass maker - he happened to pass by one of the ones that connect our world to yours and saw you in trouble. You passed out on the way through, which is understandable. The journey can be slightly jarring." She replied quietly. "You haven't been out long."_

_Music was playing somewhere beyond the four walls that surrounded Alice. The girl caught her questioning look._

"_Just the nightly festivities. Tonight is extra special - our champion has returned to save us."_

_Alice frowned. Save them from what? Hadn't she already taken care of that problem?_

_She got to her feet, swaying slightly. She grabbed the bed-frame to keep herself steady. The woman moved out of the way, reaching out another arm to help steady her, just in case. Someone had pulled Alice out of her dress and replaced it with a one in the shade of light blue - almost like the ones she had worn to Underland the first two times, ironically enough. _

_She made her way to the doorway, slipping out into the hall. The young woman followed her, clearly afraid she might fall. But Alice had steadied herself and was able to make it down the hall. Down a flight of stairs, Alice was almost in a trance as she made her way out of the house, the music getting louder as she stepped outside._

_She was in a small village, a large bonfire roaring in the center. People were gathered around it, playing music, dancing, and drinking. Animals were there too, watching. A pair of familiar green eyes reflected in the firelight, sitting in the trees above. A grin winked back at her. _

_Within mere seconds, Alice was suddenly pulled into the partying, a drink pressed into her hands. Now these were the type of parties she liked. She couldn't help but laugh - the atmosphere made it impossible not to. However, her mind began to wander - why were the card soldiers after her in the first place? She needed to find Mirana, or someone else she knew that could help her. The people around her were unfamiliar, but seemed friendly enough. Hopefully they would help her find someone. _

_But the one person she wanted to find most of all was suddenly standing a few yards away at the edge of the village._

_He hadn't noticed her as she danced and laughed along with the others, at least, not right away. She pulled herself from the group as she stepped toward Tarrant Hightopp with a wide smile across her face. _

"_Tarrant! It's so good to see you!"_

_He rested his hands on her shoulders and she giggled, uncharacteristically. _

"_Alice, I need you to wake up."_

"_What?"_

"_Wake up."_

**0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0**

Alice screamed, jerking up. Hands clasped at her wrists, and ti took her a moment to realize they belonged to a very concerned looking Tarrant Hightopp. At least he was real. She shook her head, trying to get herself under control.

"Hello Alice." He said quietly. "Are you all right?"

"I will be." She said, bringing a hand up to rub her temple. His other hand remained wrapped around her other wrist. "Did you pull me through the mirror?"

"Yes, I did. For the first time in a very long time your reflection showed up in my mirror, so I pulled you through." He said simply. Right. Things like that were normal here. Alice tried to focus, but the sweet smell she had inhaled in her dream suddenly caught her attention - it was then she realized it was tea.

As Tarrant reluctantly moved from her side as something began to whistle, she took in her surroundings. She was sitting upright on a couch that had seen better days, and that had been patched with several squares of mismatched fabrics. The whole place seemed to be mismatched fabrics, but somehow, they seemed to fit. For some reason, it all seemed cozy - Tarrant had disappeared into what she assumed was the kitchen. In every corner she could see books, tea cups (broken and non), measuring tapes, and hats. It all seemed very fitting for the home of a Hatter. She realized then she was inside of the windmill - out front would be the tables and various chairs and benches that made up the mad tea party.

"Here you are. Travelling by looking glass can be quite jarring. You passed out when I pulled you through. This will make you feel better." He declared, coming back with a floral teacup that he pressed into Alice's hands. He looked delighted.

"Thank you." She said and cautiously took a sip, although, knowing the Hatter it couldn't have been bad tea. Bad tea just simply wouldn't do. It tasted like it smelled, like a mix of berries, mint, and vanilla. "I've missed you, Tarrant."

"We're so glad you're back, Alice. You promised you'd come back, now here you are, ready to save Underland again!" He laughed gleefully, shoving several things off the coffee table carelessly as he sat down on it so he was across from Alice, their knees almost touching.

"What's happened now?" She inquired cautiously, knowing she probably wasn't going to like the answer.

"Things have fell to pieces. Iracebeth pulled herself from banishment a year ago and has been wreaking havoc again on Underland. We can't stop her." Tarrant whispered, as if afraid the Red Queen would somehow overhear.

"What about Mirana? Shouldn't she be able to stop her sister this time?"

Tarrant shifted uncomfortably.

"Alice, the White Queen is dead."

Alice's teacup clattered to the floor, shattering upon impact.

"_What?"_

"Well, not exactly dead. More along the lines of . . . Currently unable to do anything but lay in a cationic state." He wrung the fabric of his shirt, staring at the ground now. With each word, she could almost see his eyes growing darker. "Iracebeth has been taking people, kidnapping them from their homes and locking them away. Some go to the mines to work, some go to prisons, others become her servants." He explained. "She's been taking girls from the Aboveground, hoping one day it will be you her card soldiers capture."

"They came after me." Alice said, the realization now dawning on her. The card soldiers, on orders of Iracebeth, had been after her. She thought back to the article in the newspaper - they were responsible for the kidnappings of the other little girls. Iracebeth still thought she was little, apparently.

"Which is why I pulled you through. I'd been waiting for the right moment, and now it seems to be it. You're our champion, Alice, and we couldn't possibly defeat Iracebeth without your help. There's no jabberwocky this time, only her. I'll help, of course." He added hopefully. Alice sighed - why was it she was always the one saving Underland? Couldn't they find a new champion?

She gave a nod.

"Of course I'll help."


End file.
